The Great Sacrifice

A Wife's Love

A/N: How would you react, if someone you had loved, and who had died in your arms a long time ago, suddenly turned up very much alive? I thought that the first reaction would be one of disbelief. I hope that you'll like my version of their reunion. It's short, but I felt that it would be fit.

This is the final chapter of this story. Thank you for reading it :-)

Thranduil was sitting on the chair that his wife had made for him. His numb fingers ran over the timber that felt cold and lifeless under his touch. The chair was a testimony of a time when he had been happy, a time which now seemed utterly remote. The happiness he had once experienced had long been forgotten. Thranduil could no longer recollect the warmth of love... the taste of freedom... He felt as if he were trapped within a dark shadow that appeared impenetrable. A shadow which stretched out in whatever direction Thranduil might turn, a shadow that made everything seem hopeless, lifeless. Disturbed by the gloomy thoughts that plagued his heart, he heaved a heavy sigh and overlooked his daughter's flower garden and the small pond, wondering why he was alone. His daughter had suddenly disappeared, and Legolas and Ladrengilon had not returned either. Apart from that, Galion and Elrond had not come to him today. He looked down at his hands, in which he held a flower. He rolled the stem between his fingers, and one of its petals fell onto Thranduil's lap.

So beautiful but at the same time so fragile, he thought. The flower reminded him of his beloved wife. He sighed and let go of the flower, watching as it slowly fell onto the grass. He leaned down and picked another flower before he absent-mindedly began to pick its petals. He let them fall down to the grass one by one. When all the petals were gone, he threw the remnants away and looked up.

His gaze fell on the small hill and he spotted Legolas running towards him. He was alone. Thranduil furrowed his brow. Legolas never returned home without his brother. Not once since they had arrived in Aman had Legolas left Ladrengilon's side. When Legolas approached him, Thranduil noticed the joy upon his son's face. He made a sincere effort to smile too, but failed.

"Where is your brother?" he questioned. "Have you seen your sister?"

Legolas nodded. "They are coming from the other side. Galadriel is with them, as well as Galion and Elrond. They will be here soon."

Legolas sat down next to his father on a bench, and looked at the numerous lotuses and lilies in the pond. He sighed and looked over to his father who had picked another flower and had now begun to pick its petals. The prince thought that it would be better if his father and Ari were alone when they met again, and decided to leave him.

"Ada?"

Thranduil looked up at his son.

"There is always hope. I have never given up hope. Today my faith has been rewarded. I will leave you now to allow you privacy."

Thranduil was confused by his son's words. He did not understand them. What kind of hope was there? he asked himself silently. The only hope that Thranduil had ever had, was that his wife would have been saved by the Valar. Legolas had shared the same hope. But her fлa had been lost a long time ago. What did Legolas mean when he said that his faith had been rewarded?

Ari slowly approached the pond, and stood still when she saw her husband sitting on his chair. Deeply shocked by his appearance, she could not believe her eyes at first. Thranduil was a mere shadow of the elf she had known. He had changed dramatically, and by merely looking at him she knew that he had suffered greatly. Yet she would see to it that he would soon recover. He would get better again. She breathed in deeply and began to walk around the pond, approaching her husband slowly.

*****

Galion nudged Elrond in his ribs. They both stood at a distance watching. "Let us leave. This is not our place right now."

They turned away and walked over to Galadriel and the siblings. They would stay around, but still give them privacy. Later, the elflings would check the situation by themselves.

*****

Ari hesitated. She was not sure about how to approach her husband. Varda and Manwe had warned her that seeing her again would come as a shock to him. He had given up hope, and along with it, himself. She stopped walking, and looked at him in doubt. Standing so close to him, she realized that the feeling which she had sensed since she had woken, was in fact her husband's. He was grieving. It was an unbearable feeling, which became much more intense as she got closer to him. She would make sure that he would never again have to feel like this. Closing her eyes, she focused on the bond they still shared and sent her love to him.

Thranduil had picked more flowers, and had again begun to pick their petals and leaves. His thoughts still lingered on his son's words. Suddenly, he felt a warm feeling enter his heart. A feeling he had not felt since his beloved wife had died. He felt her love. Thranduil tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat and tears welled up in his eyes. Within his heart, he tried to hold on to his wife's love and was surprised to find out it was easy. Her love remained with him. Tears rolled down his pale cheeks as he mumbled, "I love you."

"And I love you too," she replied.

Thranduil held his breath and looked up over the pond. Releasing the air he had held through his parted lips in a sigh, he looked back at the flowers in his hands. He had apparently begun to have hallucinations and hear voices. Her voice. The grass near him shifted, and a hand gently touched his shoulder. Before he could react, he found himself in a warm embrace. His heart was instantly flooded with relief and love. Unable to comprehend what was going on, he raised his gaze to behold a set of emerald green eyes that stared back at him, filled with love and understanding. Thranduil rose abruptly from the chair and let out a sob. His hands began to tremble. He looked at his wife. His wife. She was here. Thranduil's eyes widened in disbelief as he took a hesitant step towards her to touch her hands, her arms, her face... his fingers ran through her golden hair, caressed her face, touched her lips, stroked her cheeks...

"Ari..." he breathed.

Suddenly, Thranduil took a step back again, and eyed her suspiciously from head to toe. This could not be real. She was just an illusion. He closed his eyes and shook his head while covering his face with his trembling hands. Ari looked at him with a compassionate smile. He had called her by her name. Yet her husband thought that she was not real. Smiling at him, she stepped up to him and embraced him once again. Thranduil hesitantly removed his hands from his face and placed his arms around her, resting his hands on her back and his chin on her shoulder. He smelled her hair and with a shaking voice he said,

"You are not real. You are just an illusion."

Ari smiled and tightened her hold on him. "I am as real as you are."

Thranduil furrowed his brow and more tears escaped his eyes. "How is that possible?" he wondered, tightening his grip on her out of fear that she might suddenly disappear.

Ari sat him down on the chair and straddled his lap. She cupped his face tenderly in her hands and peered into his eyes.

"Does it really matter?"

Thranduil thought for a moment, and shook his head.

"No."

Ari pulled him closer, and buried her face in the crook of his neck. She was back, and this time she would stay forever.